[Paul and Caroline]

Hi

We have 2 of last Springs Ewe lambs still outside on grass which wewould describe as fair to middling in quality and they are also on about 500g per day lamb pellets. They have lost some condition over the winter so far (which we expected) however they are still looking healthy, feeding well and alert. Our commercial farmer neighbour has suggested a mineral lick but didn't go far enough as to suggest which one. They are Texel X so we know we need to avoid copper but apart from that....... Any suggestions anyone ? Ideally it should be transferable to indoor feeding if /when we bring them in....

NB - they are not in lamb as we won't be putting them to the tup until the Autumn.

Many thanks

[Marches Farmer]

Have you wormed them recently?  How long is the grass?  Do they have ad lib hay available?

[Paul and Caroline]

Have you wormed them recently?  How long is the grass?  Do they have ad lib hay available?

Hi - we haven't wormed them - they are on roughly 3 acres of 'clean' pasture and we were advised by the vet to work them if the FEC warranted it but last test came back with a negligible count. They are on 3 acres and the grass is at the longest 6 inches - obviously some of it is a fair bit shorter. We haven't supplied any hay so far, mainly because we don't have a covered rack for it.

They have dropped from a condition score of maybe 3.5 - 4 (well alright probably more like a full 4) to 3 now. So not skinny and maybe even where should really be.....

[Foobar]

If they aren't in lamb this year then they will get too fat for tupping next year at this rate.  I wouldn't be feeding my ewe lambs if they weren't in lamb and had grass 6 inches high!  You have to remember that they will suddenly grow massively as soon as the spring grass starts growing, all you need to do now is provide a maintenance diet.

Ditch the pellets. Buy a mineral lick bucket like Supalyx Sheep Standard - not a high energy one, and offer them hay and see if they take it - if they do then provide hay ad lib.

[sheeponthebrain]

completely agree with foobar here however I'd be concerned about eye lambs dropping a condition score whilst getting 500g a day of pellets. are they on a wet field? could they have fluke?

[twizzel]

I was going to say have they been fluked since winter began. It's a bad year for liver fluke and that will cause drop in condition. They may not need worming but will more than likely need fluking (note these are different things)- talk to your vet, ours advised Fasinex. We retained a ewe lamb (now hogget technically), she is hopefully in lamb and even she isn't on any cake. I would cut that down and just feed hay if frosty and supply a general purpose mineral lick. They have the spring and summer ahead of them and may be overfat by autumn otherwise.

[shep53]

I also would have slight questions as to why they have lost condition on the area and grass you are describing , plus the pellets ?   Please don't just buy any old  lick to supply mins and vits, get the vet to blood sample them so that you can identify any deficiency and then be aware now and in the future .    Fluke may or not be a problem , but if they had fluke then condition loss by now should be more

[Backinwellies]

They are still over condition at CS3 .... that is where you want them at tupping .... and they are going to improve in condition in the spring ....

agree with all previous comments

[Paul and Caroline]

Hi guys

Thanks for the feedback - we are going to Fluke them this week and we will invest in a covered hay rack and supply that rather than the pellets. They are not going to like us!!!!! Once fluked we will watch to see if the CS drops too much further and call the vet round for a check up if it does.